The clever genius behind Mr. & Mrs. Bund’s lively yet serious menu (two recipes at end of article)

Meet Paul Pairet – the Executive Chef of Mr. & Mrs. Bund Shanghai – a clever and experimental molecular gastronomist from Jade on 36 (in its heyday) who has brought his own irreverent take on French cuisine to his own place on Shanghai’s chic bund location. After an inspiring meal at M &M Bund, I had to meet the chef and see if I could get some insight on the vision that made this one of the most unique dining experiences I have enjoyed in a very long time.

First let me start with what made my dining experience at Mr & Mrs Bund so unique. I have never been to a French restaurant quite like this one. The meal was playful, the dishes idiosyncratic yet classic, presentations experimental yet unfussy, the service impeccable yet warm and casual and the overall quality of the foods…well, quite possibly flawless. I have been back since and realize this is no fluke, Chef Pairet is on to something here.

It’s probably no coincidence that his first cooking memories were from a Disney cookbook that he had received as a gift at age 9. Loosely translated as “The Good Recipe from the Grandmother,” it put a twist on the recipes and made them fun, using ingredients like Coca Cola. Perhaps if not for this book, Chef Pairet would have never started cooking. Then after a summer job where he ran the kitchen 1 night a week that he could actually see and enjoy diners eating and enjoying the things he prepared. It was then Chef Pairet realized that cooking had meaning for him beyond the job itself. Pariet says, “seeing my effect on people eating my food was profound,” even if it was inspired by something as simple as a croque monsieur.

Chef Pairet enrolled in a cooking school at age 18 and was fortunate enough to have one of the best professors in France at the time. Top notch instruction and training combined with Chef Pairet’s affinity for science and math led to the unique culinary style that one sees at M & M Bund today. Some might call it experimental molecular gastronomy while others might describe it as simple and ingredient focused – either way, Chef Pairet doesn’t see these two in opposition. He believes his culinary passion stems from relating most everything he sees or does to a new culinary idea – whether the idea that emerges is simple and seasonal or complex and experimental.

When I asked Chef Pairet how he manages to achieve a high level of detail and precision in execution with a staff of 100+, he says “I am not a better cook than some of the cooks in my kitchen. They have the same technical skills as the executive chef to execute a dish. My role is in the composition.” Chef Pairet describes this process of composition or creation as a “poetic process.” Having a history in writing poetry – I get it. It’s in the cadence of the words, the alliteration or rhyme…the details that transform a collection of words on a page to something meaningful that can touch both the writer and the reader deeply. So building on the poetry analogy, if Chef Pairet were a poet perhaps he would combine the flawless, classic style of Emily Dickenson with the raw emotion of Anne Sexton and top it off with a sprinkling of the brilliant irreverence of Dr. Seuss.

And Chef Pairet is not running out of ideas anytime soon. With a new project in the works, there is no doubt he will continue to make his mark on the Shanghai culinary scene.

VERY FRESH WATERMELON LICORICES STICK
Ingredients:
Watermelon
500 G Vanilla Syrup*
750G Muscat Brown Brothers*
175G Lime Puree*
50G Aniseed Licorice Essence*
(* For the Marinade)

Preparation:
Whisk all Lime Licorice Marinade ingredients together and store in container with tight fitting lid.
Cut watermelon into rectangular shape 1.5X1.5X5.5cm
Submerge in Lime Licorice Marinade and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Skewer watermelon halfway.
Freeze
Serve directly from freezer (optional garnish with basil leaves)

HAM RACLETTE BONBON
Ingredients:
1 Unit White Ham
10G Lemon Zest
3G Salt
1G Crushed Black Pepper
Gruyere Cheese

Preparation:
Mix Lemon zest, salt and pepper for Lemon Salt.
Cut ham into cubes 2X2X1.5cm
Cut Gruyere Cheese 2X2X1cm Lay Cheese on Ham.
Brush cheese with olive oil.
Lightly season with Lemon Salt.
Stylishly wrap in roasting bags or chef’s paper.
Tightly clip with clothes pins.
Microwave 8seconds or until cheese is soft throughout.
Remove clothes pins and serve immediately.

Mr & Mrs Bund
Bund 18, 6th Floor
18 Zhong Shan Dong Yi Road
Shanghai, China
Telephone: +86 21 6323 9898

A chef focused on bringing seasonal and modern European cuisine to Shanghai

Stefan Stiller tells me that when he got the job offer in Shanghai 6 years ago he had to look at the map to see exactly where in China Shanghai was located. Given Stefan’s integral position in the Shanghai culinary scene, it’s actually hard to imagine a time when Stefan was not in Shanghai. From his start at Club Shanghai to his move to Mimosa Supper Club and now with his namesake restaurant Stiller’s, Stefan has left an indelible mark in Shanghai. But this 6 year stint is only a small part of this experienced chef’s 27 year long career as a chef.

Stefan originates from Germany where his experience was gold standard – working in 1 to 3-starred Michelin restaurants. Stefan always enjoyed cooking and after taking some classes in school, he started to work for some friends of his parents who owned a 1-starred Michelin Relais et Chateaux hotel and restaurant. He was excited about the difference in his life versus his classmates and for the first time thought, maybe this could actually be a career path.

His track record in Germany was sterling from the times he worked in others’ 3-star Michelin restaurants to the period where he owned his own restaurant, Grand Cru which was nominated by Food & Wine magazine as “Best New Restaurant”and received 1-Michelin star only 14 months after opening.

Today, running Stiller’s in Shanghai with his wife Yoshi, Stefan looks to the seasons for his inspiration. The menu changes once a month in order to present the freshest seasonal ingredients. On my most recent visit Stefan was featuring the German seasonal favourite, white asparagus, along with newly available Chanterelle mushrooms. It’s this relentless focus on quality that inspires Stiller’s cult following as well as his professional accolades. In fact, Stefan was recently added as a Star Chef for Lufthansa Airlines, designing a menu for first and business class.

But with that said, Stefan has a balanced view of food and life represented not only by the quote on his menu “gastronomy is the skill of using food in order to create happiness” but also by his actions…prioritizing time with his wife Yoshi and their 9 year old daughter. Despite the demanding life of running not only Stiller’s the restaurant but also Stiller’s cooking school and deli, Stefan and Yoshi were just returning from dropping their daughter off at camp they day I met them.

If you are in Shanghai, we would highly recommend a trip to Stiller’s – in our view a must do when in town! And if you have time take the opportunity to learn from the chef himself – Stefan himself teaches the cooking classes in the on-site cooking school just downstairs from the restaurant.

Stiller’s Restaurant and Cooking School
The Cool Docks, 6-7/F, Bldg 3, 505 Zhongshan Nan Lu,
The Bund
near Fuxing Dong Lu, Metro Line 4 Nanpu Bridge Station Exit 2
Telephone: + 86 21 6152 6501

Hey all,

It’s no secret that we love Kamalaya here – a wonderful combo of relaxing space, great doctors, and inventive food. We’ve previously featured our personal experiences cooking with Kai, but now thanks to the internet you can have a virtual class with Kai yourself. In the video (hopefully more will soon follow) Kai teaches a Detox Garden Salad with Wasabe Dressing. A great salad that, like most of Kai’s food, belies its health-food status.

Check out the video here.

Paul

It’s his latest post though that has him continually smiling (seriously, in a week on the island I don’t know if I ever saw the guy without at least a grin on his face). Can you blame him with a restaurant that has views like this every day?

You can clearly see his European culinary pedigree on every plate… right alongside Asian twists. Which is something I respect. He honors his roots in the kitchen while still responding to the environment he works in. Doing lighter dishes appropriate to the sun and sea of the Maldives, but with a refinement appropriate to the level of the resort.

If you’re lucky enough to go stay at Alila Villas Hadahaa, you won’t have to go searching the kitchen for a chance to talk to Chef Bastian. You’ll see him at almost every meal, out and about with the guests checking in on dishes and service. Despite having to oversee breakfast, lunch, and dinner (and the odd cooking demo on top of it all) he maintains an enthusiasm to his craft that leaves you no doubt the meal coming to your table will be great.

He was nice enough to share a few of the recipes he taught us on our visit and we’re sharing them with you here. When you make them imagine you’re sitting here:

Also drinking a nice white wine with a cool sea breeze blowing through the open dining area, and you’re looking out at waters so vivid, they redefine your definition of blue… at least that’s the way I got to enjoy this

Confit prawn, avocado nut salsa, cardamom pineapple & coriander oil
Confit prawn: 6 pcs prawn, 500ml olive oil, 1 pcs garlic peeled, 30g rosemary or thyme, 50 g mixed pepper, sea salt to taste

Put everything in a pot – bring it up to 75 C. place the prawn 6-8 min in the oil until cooked medium

Avocado salsa: 1hass avocado, 50g mixed nuts, salt, pepper to taste

Peel the avocado, crush with a fork, add the nuts and season it

Pineapple: 1 pineapple, 30g cardamom, 50g sugar, 1liter orange juice, 50ml white wine, salt, pepper,2 drop Tabasco

Cut the pineapple in cubes (use the trimmings for the fond), heat up the orange juice, add the trimmings, add Tabasco, white wine, salt & pepper, reduce to the half, add cardamom – keep for 5-10 minutes, strain the fond in another pot, add pineapple cubes and cook it slowly until “al dente”

Coriander oil: ½ bunch coriander leaves, 200ml olive oil, salt

Blend both ingredients together and add the salt to taste

Pan Fried Scallops, Pak Choi & Saffron Foam
Scallops: 6pcs scallops (USA or Japanese) salt, pepper, lime juice, butter

Heat up the pan, caramelize the scallops from both side, add the butter and lime juice, keep in the pan until medium cooked

Pak choi: 3 bunches of pak choi, 50g onion brunnoise, vegetable or fish stock, salt & pepper

Remove the stalk, sauté onion, add the pak choi, add stock, season to taste

Saffron foam: 50g onion brunnoise, 200ml white wine, 200ml stock, 200 ml cream / milk 50g butter, 2g saffron

Sauté onion, add the white wine, reduce to the half, add the stock, reduce to the half, add saffron, add cream / milk, add butter and blend it – strain in a another pot – blend again, until its nice foamy

Grilled Reef Fish, Parsnip Puree, Spinach Leaves & Capsicum Sauce
Reef fish: 150-200g fish filet, lemon juice, salt & pepper

Season the fish and place it on the grill, keep it on each side for 4-5 minutes or until its cooked

Parsnip: 200g parsnip cut in dices, 50g brunoise onion, 200 ml vegetable stock, 300ml cream, salt & pepper, nut meg

Sauté onion in olive oil, add all other ingredients bring it slowly to boil, simmer it until the parsnip is soft, take it out & blend it smoothly, check seasoning

Capsicum: 200g red or/and yellow capsicum, 30 g onion brunnoise, 30g rosemary / thyme

Sauté onions in olive oil, add the capsicum, sauté until soft, blend smoothly and strain, check seasoning

Any chef that can have me actually dreaming of eating crocodile again is a chef of note in my book. Hong Kong Chef Liu Ching Hai of Summer Palace in the Regent Hotel is that chef. You might remember our recent review of Summer Palace. We were treated to a special Sunday lunch of traditional Asian dishes and ones with a more modern twist… every dish as tasty as the next. After the meal we were gifted another treat – a chance to sit down and talk (via translator) to Chef Liu about his life & approach to food… and we even got a signature recipe!

Like many great chefs, Chef Liu was inspired by watching his grandmother cook as a young child. He soon caught the full time cooking bug and at 17 began his life in the kitchen, opting to learn through a traditional apprenticeship over formal training.

He soon made a name for himself and began cooking not only in the region’s top hotels, but also for western and Asian celebrities in Hong Kong… including Jackie Chan and Michael Jackson. He even catered Chow Yun Fat’s wedding (I’m a huge fan of his films and so was excited to hear this)! But the celebrity status hasn’t gone to Chef Liu’s head. When pumped for information about the assignments you realize he really treats every diner the same… not placing more importance on a celebrity meal than a regular hotel brunch crowd. I did keep asking him questions though and the most I was able to pry from him dirt-wise is that the Asian celebrities were a bit more down to earth than their western counterparts… taking time to come talk to the chef about their food and about life in general

Chef Liu specializes in seafood and we’re not just talking snapper here. He’s comfortable with anything that’s lived it’s life in water, and prefers simpler recipes that let the quality of the ingredient shine…. something he’s used to from his days in Hong Kong with daily deliveries of the freshest seafood.

The crocodile dish one more time

When not at work he’s cooking at home with his two sons. They’re only 8 and 10 but are already looking as if they’ll be following in their Dad’s footsteps. He says they’ll go to the market and the kids will tell him which part of the fish they want and then once home will stay in the kitchen with their father watching his every movement.

Chef Liu is actually a bit older than his looks, a rarity for chefs… particularly American chefs who look as though they’ve cooked themselves with their years over open flames. So I asked the chef if there was some traditional remedy responsible for his youthful appearance. He smiled and said it wasn’t bird’s nest soup as the translator had joked… it was eating simple and fresh food and trying to just be as happy as possible.

I asked the chef to provide our readers with a signature dish of sorts. Something reflective of his roots, but also something that had ingredients not so out of reach of the average home chef. So I am thrilled to give you:

Wok-Fried Prawns with Asparagus and Black Bean Sauce

Ingredients
Prawns 200g
Asparagus 100g
Black Bean Sauce 20g
Garlic 10g
Bell Pepper 20g
Oil 20g
Flour 10g
Sugar 10g
Chinese wine 5g

Instructions

• De-shell & de-vein the prawns
• Wash the asparagus
• Heat up the wok and add oil into heated wok
• Place prawns into wok, stir-fry till half-cooked, and drain prawns out
• Pour garlic, black bean sauce, bell pepper and asparagus into wok and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
• Add in half-cooked prawns
• Add flour, sugar and Chinese wine
• Stir-fry for 3 minutes.
• Ready to serve.

What are they?
Degustation and Tasting menus are basically the same thing. Chances are if someone’s putting degustation instead of tasting they have French roots (or want it to sound that way ) Basically it’s a sampling menu of all the chef’s signature dishes… or in the best cases, it’s a journey the chef would like to take you on.

Why are they popping up so much these days?
Personally I believe they’re popping up more and more due to the growing respect for chefs in society today. These days many diners are choosing restaurants  as much for who’s in the kitchen as the specific dish they’re craving. So as we grow in our trust of our chef as artist, we begin to let go of control of what we want in favor of what he’ll create for us.

But to be a bit more cynical… at the end of the day restaurants are primarily a business…. so from a BOH (back of house) perspective it’s a no-brainer. You offer a specific menu with fancy or elaborate dishes, and since it’s set it’s easier to prep for. I’ve been to many restaurants lately only offering set menus for the dinner service. This cuts down on overheard as you don’t have stock ingredients for a 75 dish menu. At the end of the day it’s much easier to manage a 8 course meal and oversee all the work going into it than when chefs are running around like headless chickens each responsible for varying sections of the menu.

Should you care?
You should care that the trend is growing. In capable hands the degustation menu is a joy to the diner. Take my meal at Iggy’s. There were things on the menu Joanna and I both probably wouldn’t have ordered on our own…. but with careful planning and pacing each dish built on the last and not only filled our bellies, but also told us a story.

In the wrong hands it amounts to an overpriced mess. As these gain in popularity other restaurants are jumping on the bandwagon… even if they don’t have a specific journey they want to take the diner on. In Singapore you’re pretty much guaranteed it’ll come in for at least 180 SGD per person… meaning the restaurant can now raise the prices of a la carte options as it’ll seem like a “value” compared to the larger tasting menu.

Should you order one?
That’s of course up to you. Personally if I see one on a menu and I have the moola means and appetite (this is key, these things will frequently come in at 8 courses and probably 3,000 + calories!) I’ll go for it. I have no qualms about judging a chef unannounced on the basis of his tasting menu. He signed his name off to this menu and it’s set. I’m not ordering anything fancy, creative or off menu here so regardless of the night of week, if the restaurant is hosting a large party, or any other excuses…. this should be his near flawless show piece.

Even if you don’t order one a careful glance at the tasting menu will reveal other things to you as well. What foods does the chef feel most comfortable with / most  express his vision? Is the chef aware of and respectful of the season? Is the chef inventive or playing it safe? Does the chef (again like at Iggy’s) have a playful side… listing off menu items as simply “Egg”?

For the past few months I’ve had more good experiences than bad when trusting myself to the whims of the chef… probably about 70-30 success rate. I like the trend. I like the valuing of the chef’s artistry more than your own specific wants… I’m not advocating dining like this every night, but on the right occasion its so nice to sit down in a true master’s dining room and place yourself in his skillful hands.

Paul

Above tasting menu obviously from the French Laundry…. unfortunately not one I’ve tried this year

Stunning presentation, impeccable service and inventive, modern French cuisine

It was Paul’s birthday, so it had to be special…something out of the ordinary and truly impressive. After much consideration I selected Gunther’s, #7 on the Miele Guide’s list for top restaurants in Asia. I think what got me, besides its reputation as one of the best restaurants in Singapore, was the idea of a menu-less, 8-course tasting dinner designed on the spot by the chef (who trained in a 3-starred Michelin restaurant in Paris). The idea of every course being a surprise sounded exhilarating and like just the kind of unique experience I was looking to share with Paul on his special day.

And in fact, everything about our experience was absolutely flawless. When we entered  the restaurant we were treated like VIPs (and I didn’t even mention to them it was a birthday). They took my bag and carried it for me…lest I be perturbed with even the smallest nuisance of shouldering my laptop…and ushered us to our table. We were immediately greeted and the waiter did something I have never seen before….he brought the raw ingredients of today’s specials on a platter to our table for us to see them first hand. There was an impressive array of kuroge wagyu beef, lobster (still moving!), crab legs, a leg of Spanish ham on a carving tray, and a magnificent truffle covered by a domed plate. If there was any question about having the tasting menu, this completely removed it.

As we ordered the tasting menu, they asked if we had any special dislikes or dietary issues. I personally don’t like carpaccios (raw sliced meats / fish), and since I had seen these on the menu I decided to mention that. No judgment, no snooty derision…just a respectful reply of “of course madame.” We were asked if we would like the paired wine tasting as well….I said “yes”, Paul opted for “no” since he was getting over a cold. And with that the fun began…

1^st course
Japanese tomatoes with balsamic reduction and Spanish Ham

Why does everything Japanese taste better?….small, sweet and perfectly ripe tomatoes were an absolute delight with the Spanish ham. The balsamic vinegar served to cut the heaviness of the ham and the sweetness of the tomato and the result was perfect harmony.

2^nd course
Scallop carpaccio with tomato (for Paul) and grilled scallop with tomato (for me)

A stunning, simple presentation…..perfectly grilled in my case, and delicately seasoned and garnished in Paul’s case.

3^rd course
Capellini with caviar and white truffle

The domed truffle was no doubt used for this simple yet intensely flavourful dish. The earthly aroma wafted up from our dishes and I am pretty sure we didn’t speak as we silently savoured this dish. And in fact, it reminded Paul of a famous Eric Ripert dish from Le Bernardin in NYC.

4^th course
Cepe mushroom with scamorza cheese

Again, simple but harmonious combination of ingredients resulting in a delicate, yet satisfying mouthful.

5^th course
Alaskan king crab with chili oil in a pasta shell

Beautifully presented and judiciously seasoned, a lovely a light mouthful before the heavier courses.

6^th course
Kuroge wagyu beef grilled with corn and potato croquettes

Meat and potatoes if you get right down to it….but this is no average meat, the pinnacle of beef from an ancient stock of Japanese black-haired cattle. So tender and juicy it melts in your mouth. And the simplest item on the dish, the corn, was remarkably fresh and amazingly sweet.

7^th course
Pan-fried scamorza cheese, white truffle and Spanish ham

It’s hard to say what was my favourite course – it was a toss up between this one and the kuroge beef. There is no more classic combination than ham and cheese and when elevated with the best quality ingredients plus white truffles…well, something classic becomes something divine.

8^th course
Apple tart with rum raisin ice cream + compliments of the chef mini macaroons, valhrona chocolate, cannelles and cookies

A creative take on a classic was the perfect finish to a truly perfect meal. I am also a sucker for macaroons, so I was delighted to have the added and unexpected bonus of these and other wonderful cookies and chocolates.

It’s not often we write a review without a hint of constructive criticism….but Gunther’s was in fact as flawless a meal and dining experience as we have had in years. Every detail was considered and perfectly executed in every part of the service….from the inventive presentations to the masterful, yet simple flavour combinations to the highly attentive but somehow unobtrusive wait staff. OK, our experience was expensive…it cost us around $800 SGD for the chef’s tasting menu for 2 with 1 person doing the wine pairing (with service and GST), but I do believe it was totally worth it. But don’t be scared off by our bill…if you order a la carte off the menu, entrees can be had for $38 – 75 SGD, so not every meal has to be as extravagant as ours was.

Honestly, the bar has been set so high now by Gunther’s in Singapore that I struggle to imagine a better meal at any restaurant in any country. Our immediate circle of friends may well be tired of hearing about our culinary masterpiece of a meal, but we never seem to tire of talking about it. If you haven’t been there yourself, revisit your calendar and make it happen – a culinary story of your own awaits.

Gunther’s
36 Purvis Street, #01-03
Singapore
Telephone: +65 6338 8955